Wafer provided with transverse conductors and application to a fuel cell

Abstract

A thin wafer comprising through holes filled at least partially with conductive carbon nanotubes generally oriented transversally to the wafer. A fuel cell comprising, in a thin wafer, a through hole filled with an electrolyte surrounded with barriers of carbon nanotubes generally oriented transversally to the wafer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device, comprising:
 a thin wafer having a lower surface, an upper surface, and a plurality of through holes extending in a first direction from the upper surface to the lower surface; 
 a porous material extending completely through the wafer and between the first and second through holes of the plurality; and 
 conductive carbon nanotubes positioned in the first and second through holes and oriented longitudinally in the first direction, wherein the conductive carbon nanotubes extend completely through the wafer in the first direction and surround the porous material. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nanotubes are multiple-wall nanotubes. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the thin wafer is made of silicon, the device further comprising insulating layers respectively formed between the carbon nanotubes and walls of the first and second through holes. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising electrolyte strips extending between the upper and lower surfaces and surrounding the porous material and the conductive carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1  wherein the porous material is porous silicon. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1  wherein the thin wafer is silicon or glass. 
     
     
       7. A fuel cell comprising:
 a thin wafer having an upper surface and a lower surface; and 
 a through hole extending in a first direction from the upper surface to the lower surface of the thin wafer, said through hole being filled with an electrolyte surrounded with barriers of carbon nanotubes, the carbon nanotubes extending longitudinally in the first direction and transversally to the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer, wherein the barriers of carbon nanotubes extend completely through the thin wafer. 
 
     
     
       8. The fuel cell of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first opening configured to allow a first gas to be injected through a first one of the barriers of carbon nanotubes on a first side of the electrolyte; and 
 a second opening configured to allow a second gas to be injected through a second one of the barriers of carbon nanotubes on second side of the electrolyte. 
 
     
     
       9. The fuel cell of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first porous region arranged on an opposite side of the first barrier of carbon nanotubes with respect to the electrolyte; and 
 a second porous region arranged on an opposite side of the second barrier of carbon nanotubes with respect to the electrolyte. 
 
     
     
       10. The fuel cell of  claim 9  wherein the porous regions comprise porous silicon. 
     
     
       11. A fuel cell comprising:
 a wafer having a top surface and a bottom surface; 
 a first through opening in the wafer extending in a first direction from the bottom surface to the top surface, the first through opening being filled with a first plurality of conductive carbon nanotubes arranged longitudinally in the first direction and extending completely through the first through opening, 
 a second through opening in the wafer extending from the bottom surface to the top surface, the second through opening being filled with a second plurality of conductive carbon nanotubes arranged longitudinally in the first direction and extending completely through the second through opening, and 
 an electrolyte chamber containing an electrolyte and arranged between the first and second through openings. 
 
     
     
       12. The fuel cell of  claim 11  wherein gas can be injected into the first through opening and the second through opening. 
     
     
       13. The fuel cell of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a first gas conductor region on a side of the first through opening opposite from the electrolyte chamber; and 
 a second gas conductor region on a side of the second through opening opposite from the electrolyte chamber. 
 
     
     
       14. The fuel cell of  claim 13  wherein the first and second gas conductor regions contain a porous material. 
     
     
       15. The fuel cell of  claim 14  wherein the porous material is porous silicon. 
     
     
       16. The fuel cell of  claim 11  wherein the wafer is silicon or glass. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an electrode underlying the lower surface of the thin wafer; and 
 an insulator overlying the upper surface of the thin wafer, wherein the insulator contacts the carbon nanotubes of the first through hole and the second through hole, and the electrode contacts the carbon nanotubes of the first through hole and the second through hole. 
 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a first electrode and a first insulator underlying the lower surface of the thin wafer; and 
 a second electrode and a second insulator overlying the upper surface of the thin wafer, wherein the carbon nanotubes of the first through opening contact the first insulator and the second electrode, and the carbon nanotubes of the second through opening contact the second insulator and the first electrode.